Valve for automatic sprinkler apparatus for fire extinguishing



n. 1927. i s. HORTON VALVE FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER APPARATUS FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHING Filed Oct. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [n Mentor.- J'pene: Horton Afgy- Jan. 11, 1927. 1,614,002

.5. HORTQN VALVE FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER APPARATUS FOR FI RE' EXTINGUISHING Filed'Oct. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

In 1 8 W60 71 J OGHCETH TZ'On Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

'SPENQER HORTON, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

VALVE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER APPARATUS FOR :FIRE :EX TINGUISHING.

Application.filediOctojner 3, 1924,.Seria1 No. 741,308, and'in Great Britain December-5,1923.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic sprinkler apparatus vfor fire-extinguishing, and refers particularly to appa ratus of the type :in which one; or more sprinkler heads or jets are controlled by a single valve which .is held against a seating by temperature-operated means and is automaticallyopened to admit fluid to .the sprinkler :heads when a certain temperature is reached in the vicinity of the valve.

The object of my invention is 'to provide an improved form of valve for such aplparatus in -Wl1l0l1 "a d1rect-act1ng valve wit a rigid seating can be employed without fear numberof theselhave beenillustrated by way of the valve stickingon its seating and failing-to open when the temperature-operated retaining means for the valve isreleased.

lVIy invention essentially .consists in employing a valve having a suitable head which is held against a rigid seating in a suitable bod-y and obturates ap'a-ssage leading from-a source of'fluid supply to-outlet passages or pipes carrying sprinkler heads or jets, in combination with resilient means which normallytend to force the .valve away from its seating, so that immediately the temperature-operated retaining means for the valve is released 'the valve will be opened by the resilient means independently of the pressure of the fluid-in the supply-pipe.

The sprinkler heads or jets will thus be brought into action simultaneously, and all danger of the valve sticking to:its seat1ng,as

is liable to happen with the usual type of valve, is eliminated.

My invention-may be carried into practice in a variety of different forms which will be evident to those skilled in the art, and a of example in the accompanying drawings in -Whic'h:

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are vertical sections through three sprinkler valves embodying diflerent forms of my invention,

Figure 4, is a plan of the resilient device employed in the valve illustrated in Fig. 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively an elevation in part section and an inverted plan of a valve embodying a further modification.

Figure 7 is a vertical elevation through a valve showing another method of assembly.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 1 the valve body a is provided with a fluid inlet 6 and a fluid outlet 0, adapted to receive a union by which it may be connected to a pipe leading to sprinkler heads or jets. Communication between the two passages is closed by a fiat disc valve head d engaging an'annular seatmgaround the inner end of the passage .6. The periphery of thevalve head extends-beyond the seating, and is adapted to beengaged to force the valve away from its seatmg by a coil spring 6 of rectangular-section metal housed in an annular recess faround the valve seating. The valve head is-carried by a coaxial stem 9 projecting through the valve body, and a fusible or frangibledevice is interposed between the outer end of the stem and an abutment member screwedinto the outer extremity ofa skeleton cagememthe valve against its seating until the fusible or frangible device is released in the known manner when a predetermined temperature isreached in the vicinity of the valve.

The construction of the valve v:shown .in Fig. 2-is similar, but in this caseta valvehead j of dished form is employed having a recessed annular lip j against which the coil spring is abuts.

A similar type of valve head is employed in Fig. 8, but in place of a coil springa resilient sheet metal ring Z is employed. The outer edge of the ring is clamped between an internal shoulder in the body and the inlet union member, so that the ring .assumes'a conical form, audits inner edge which =is-cut away as shown in Fig. 4 .is engagedby the periphery of the valve head.

When the valve head is forced againstits seating the inner edge of the ring .is deformed and the natural resilience of thezring tends to force the valve headaway from its seating immediately the valve stem is vfreed.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is illustrated a valve employing a valve head and coil springas illustrated in Fig. 1, but in this case the valve is vformed with two outlets provided with coned unionsr/u'n, which areheld inengagement with complementary surfaces on the valve body by bolts 0 passing through oval flanges 10 on the unions.

The valve body illustrated in Fig. 7 also has two fluid outlets, and employs a similar valve head and spring, but the construction of the valve body diliers considerably. The inlet passage 9 and the outlet passages r, r, are formed as an integral unit, and the memher .9 carrying the valve seating is screwed into a socket at the inner end of the inlet passage. A water-tight joint is formed between the member s and the body by making the upper part of the member s conical and causing it to engage a compressible ring thoused in a recess near the upper end of the body.

The cage 14 embodying a guide for the valve stem and an abutment for the valve retaining levers or frangible device is screwed axially into the upper end of the member s.

I claim 1. A valve for sprinkler lire-extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve body, a fluid inlet passage for the admission oi fluid to the body, a fluid outlet passage from the body, a valve seating at the inner end of the inlet passage, a valve head enclosed within the body for engaging said seating and normally releasably held in engagement therewith to close the inlet passage means projecting from the valve head out 0'; the body and engaged by outside valve retaining means, and resilient means enclosed within the body engaging the valve head and tending to force the said head away from its seatin 2. A. valve for sprinkler lire-extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve body, a fluid inlet passage for admission or fluid to the body, a fluid outlet passage from the body, a valve seating at the inner end of the inlet passage, a valve head enclosed within the body for engaging said seating and normally releasably held in engagement therewith to close the inlet passage, valve stem projecting from the valve head out of said body and engaged by valve retaining means outside ot the body, and resilient means enclosed within the body engaging the valve head and tending to force the said head away from its seating.

3. Avalve for sprinkler tire-extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve body, a fluid inlet passage for the admission of fluid to the body, a fluid outlet passage tromthe body, a valve seating at the inner end or" the inlet passage, a valve head enclosed within the body for engaging said seating and normally releasably held in engagement therewith by means outside of the body to close the inlet passage, and resilient means enclosed within the body engaging the valve head and tending to force the said head away from its seating, the said means comprising a coil spring engaging a part of the valve head projecting beyond its seatin 4. A valve for sprinkler fire-extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve body, a fluid inlet passage for the the body, a fluid outlet passage from the body, a valve seating at the inner end of the inlet passage, a valve head enclosed within the body for engaging said seating and releasably held in engagement therewith by means outside of the body to close the inlet passage, and resilient means enclosed within the body engaging the valve head and tending to force the said seating, the said means comprising a coil spring engaging a part of the valve head projecting beyond its seating and located in an annular recess in the body around the valve seatin 5. A valve for sprinkler fire-extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve body, a iuid inlet passage for the admission or fluid t0 the body, a fluid outlet passage from the body, a valve seating at the inner end of the inlet passage, a valve head enclosed within the body for engaging said seating and normally releasably held in engagement therewith by means outside of the body to close the inlet passage, and resilient means enclosed within the body engaging the valve head and tending to force the said head away admission of fluid to,

head away from its from its seating, the said head having an annular shoulder beneath which the resilient means engages and which projects beyond the valve seatin V V 6. A valve for sprinkler tire-extinguishing apparatus, comprising a valve body, a fluid inlet passage for the admission of fluid to the body, fluid outlet passages from the body, a valve seating at the inner end of the inlet passage, a valve head enclosed within the body and normally releasably held in engagement with said seating to close the inlet passage, and resilient means enclosed ithin the body engaging the valve head and tending to force the said head away from its seating, the said fluid outlet passages from the body being provided with coned union members secured to the body by bolts passing through flanges on the union members.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

srnnonn Boston. 

